Lots has been written about Gen Y, those born since 1980 and currently in their twenties and their expectations and preferences driven by growing up in a particular set of economic, social and technological conditions.
But what about the next generation?
Gen Z ( also referred to as ‘Gen F’ for facebookers or ‘Gen C’ for content, being the first generation to truly grow up creating content on the web from an early age) are those born since the mid 90s. The oldest are still in school but will be in the work place in the next five years. As a group they are already important consumers.
So what is different about them? Well like all generations, by understanding the conditions and experiences they grew up in and with, we can get some insight into their expectations, preferences and views of the world.
It’s early days, but here are some of our observations and predictions.
They have grown up in a recession. So expect more thrifty attitudes and less of an expectation to fall into work easily. Those who are under 25 right now are the hardest hit by unemployment and current teenagers are very aware of this.
They are true digital natives. Gen Y have had lots of involvement in, and are comfortable with, technology and the internet, but Gen Z have truly lived and breathed it from a VERY early age, and it has been a key part of their childhood and schooling. Gen Z communicate with their friends, complete schoolwork, learn from and get entertained by the internet like no other generation before them. The recent BBC series, The Virtual Revolution suggested that that the internet is even changing the way teenagers think .They have a strong awareness of sustainability issues a. This is the generation that will have to deal with the consequences of global warming, peak oil, burgeoning global population and scarce resources. To them recycling isn’t just a neat idea it is essential.
Finally don’t forget the echo. Gen Y are sometimes called ‘echo boomers’, because they were kids of Baby boomer parents and some of the core values have been seen to be passed on. Gen Z are the kids of mainly Gen X parents, so expect some of Gen X’s attitudes and values to be seen in Gen Z, albeit manifesting in different ways. May be we will see a Gen Z version of Gen X’s value placed on having a job, any job.
Whatever Gen Z look like in the work place, having a generational diverse outlook will enable organisations to get the most from all their staff.
The US Army has published a social media handbook to guide their employees and their families. There is some really useful and practical stuff in there including tips, advice and frequently asked questions. It’s definitely something other organisations could usefully do too. In fact it occurs to me that having to create a handbook would help them to think through their position on social media which is half the battle as many companies still seem unsure where they stand on the subject.
